Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Crazy marketing

They aren't selling encyclopedias door to door anymore. They are selling Educational Opportunities. For just over $300 for a set of 5 books that have everything a child would need to know for the SAT and ACT tests at the end of high school and the books are relevant for first grade on up. They are a total of maybe 7 inches thick put together. Um, sorry, but I buy all my books at dollar a bag library clearance sales. I spend maybe ONE DOLLAR for about 20-25 books? I also have the internet to look things up on (ahhh the internet, a hypochondriac's paradise! Just tell me that you don't get hooked on illness symptom sites when you aren't feeling well and you just know that the mild headache is so totally going to be an aneurism. My doctor? HATES my internet access. Ach, but I digress.) So, $300 for a set of 5 books I'll find at a yardsale later for $5? Ummmm no. But thank you anyways! You look hot walking door to door, would you like a soda? Some cold water?

I got a phone call yesterday - they want to give me a 3 day 2 night vacation in SUNNY FLORIDA! Because I won! And all I have to do is "show up at the hotel of choice on the day I reserved 45-to-90-days-in-advance-holidays-are-not-available-and-it-is-subject-to-blackout-dates-and-they-reserve-the-right-to-cancel-my-reservation-within-two-weeks-of-my-arrival-date-and-I-will-beexpectedtoattendaverybriefsalespresentationonvacationhomesin (GASP) FAB-U-LOUS Sunny Florida! So what day can we put you down for?"Um, did you notice my address?"yes ma'am, Cityville Florida" Agh another sign I'm getting old - I was ma'am'edAnd?"what? You don't live in Cityville Florida? Do I have the wrong address?"No, it's right. You are offering me a vacation that's about 15 minutes away from where I live."oh" ...silence...I don't think I need to have a fabulous vacation in my own town, thanks. Would you please take me off your call list?"sorry to bother you ma'am" Again with the ma'am. So. Very. OLD.

It's over 90 degrees outside - and the kids found a tealight candle with a magnet in a plastic sandwich baggie tossed on our driveway. There is the name of a local realtor on homemade labels taped all over the tealight candle. I have just this to say - if a realtor knew what melted candlewax looked like on a driveway, and how - shall we say - SELECTIVE some of the residents in my town are about appearances, she's be worried about LOSING business instead of gaining it. A candle???? Hucked out a car window onto my driveway? In a sandwich baggie? Tres classy. Why yes, I'll trust YOU to escort total strangers through my home while I'm gone!

Hey Karry... you could have had our encyclopedias....Allllll 20 something of them which you guys never used much. Handy item, huh? Actually they did come in handy for building tricepts... when I exercised. And Dad read them when he was bored. I guess we were the suckers who bought them... Well look at it this way... at least we helped a struggling college student. (smile) Love Mom

Mom I used those books all the time to press flowers in! They were excellent for that! Probably still have some old flowers between the pages of them wherever they are.

And if I werent such a cheapskate I would have bought them. Well, assuming they were along the lines of $50 to $75 for the set and that bills werent so tight right now. I felt bad for the guy - he went through the spiel even though I told him up front it would definitely hinge on the price and if it was too pricey there was nothing he could say to make me think it was worth it.

And OMG I remember telemarketing. Hated that SO BAD - I think meeting you at that job, Rachel, was probably the best part of it all. :)

Hey did you guys know that they (meaning our favorite past telemarketing job) don't telemarket anymore? I talked to Lisa the other day- trying to get a job for my jobless-home-from-college niece and she said that since the do not call list came out they couldn't do it. They just go door to door now. I thought that was wild. I kinda miss that job sometimes- those were the days... we was still young then. HAHA Becki

Hmmmm, the do not call list - that's probably why I'm bombarded with calls from the agressive telemarketer types. I must not be on it. YAY I'm one of the few idiots left in the world. LOL

I remember Lisa, I also remember that one chick who wanted to be a guy and was really REALLY creepy and stalkerish. I used to see her around after she got fired for harassment. Still creepy, still stalker-ish. (shudder)Glad I'm down here now and don't have to deal with it anymore. I don't have many fond memories of that job. Almost none whatsoever actually, other than working with my friends.

Hey Karry, I wasn't that found of that job myself. But I do agree with you, meeting was probably the best thing that came from that job. (But it was a paycheck at that time!) And Becki, did ya have to remind me, we are getting old! LOL. Rachel.